Summary of the general meeting of the European society of culture held in Venice from 18 to 20 October 2013
She was on the politics of culture, its past and its prospects in other words on the future of the SEC.
Tribute to Michelle CAMPAGNOLO, Secretary-General of the SEC, was followed by various interventions in relation to the theme of the meeting, inter alia on :
-the disenchantment felt twenty years after the fall of the Berlin wall. The crisis of 1929 had not exercised major effects on the cultural heritage of Europe. Instead the financial and economic crisis current touch the future of culture. We
notes of fact censorship on the discourse of intellectuals who neglect their role.
-the new context of the activity of the SEC. We went from the search for peace in a society of peace (apart from local conflicts). The pursuit of the cultural policy remains essential, but the danger is to die of its own success. Future conflicts are likely to be first and foremost conflicts of a cultural nature, in a bipolar world where globalization could result in imprisonment of the mind and the rise of a surveillance society.
-the place of intellectuals today while we experienced all sorts of intellectuals, the witnesses and interpreters of their time, the spokesperson of a cause, organic intellectuals devoid of cultural reference, politics appears crushed by the present. Beware the hidden ideology that hides the end of ideologies. Civilization is built on refusals, overruns.
Topics covered include the still :
-the need for an intellectual and cultural revolution
-Research of a quality economy
-the lack of spiritual life
-the situation of the SEC in the countries of Eastern Europe like Romania, Moldova where the creation of a national centre of the SEC, in Russia looms
-updating of the purposes and means of the SEC.
On the occasion of the meeting of the Executive Board and on the margins of the Assembly several findings and proposals have been established. The Acting General Secretary, Cosima CAMPAGNOLO took stock of the SEC characterized by uncompromising :
-a relaxation of links between national Centres and Centre international
-complete the absence of financial contribution from the Italian State for 2012
-the precarious where the international Secretariat in Venice ; rents have not been paid to the municipality since 2009 and fixed costs can be assumed beyond September next without outside help
-the issue of the location of the archives of the SEC (transport in Turin…)
-printing of no. 4 of the magazine include…
-the need in these circumstances to invent a new international Centre management
On the sidelines of the Assembly, the following specific proposals were made :
-the strengthening of the dialogue between the National Centres themselves and with the international Centre ; Since then the constitution of it relevant and well managed sites
-the increased participation international sec and national centres of European cultural events in order to make known its existence and its positions
-Accordingly the recognition of the SEC from Institutions such as UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the European Commission and the European Parliament and the cooperation between the SEC and NGOS working in related fields such as Europa Nostra, the European movement, a Soul for Europe
-the continuation of the annual holding of a Summer School in Venice, follow-up and the restitution of this Summer School by students
-design and recognition at the University level of a political Master of culture
-digitization of the most significant records of the SEC and the edition of "classics" of the SEC
-exploration of the possibilities of fundraising and crowdraising
-a final general financial underwriting with members of the SEC to come help the general Secretariat in 2014(à cet égard le Centre français a adressé 1000 euros àle Centre International pour faire face à cette situation).
For their part the french and Dutch Centres considered the terms of a draft proposal to work for 2014, says theme to two or more reporters, and culminating in a symposium.